Two directors of postal group Consignia have decided not to accept recommended pay rises of 10 per cent, it was announced today.

Two directors of postal group Consignia have decided not to accept recommended pay rises of 10 per cent, it was announced today.

The increases were proposed for chief executive John Roberts and managing director of mail services Jerry Cope.

The suggestion had been attacked as being insensitive as Consignia is facing a dispute over pay involving more than 145,000 postal workers.

But in a short statement today, Mr Roberts announced that the two men had decided not to take the pay increases "at this time".

Mr Roberts said: "The debate about levels of pay within Consignia is legitimate, but our priority is the pay of postmen and women.

"The business is in a perilous state and the key issue for all of us is affordability.

"We will address all these issues when the company can afford it and not before.

"Jerry Cope and myself have therefore decided not to take pay increases at this time."

The basic pay of Mr Roberts is £205,000 while Mr Cope is on a salary of £140,000.

The 10 per cent pay increases were recommended by Consignia's remuneration committee.

The decision was welcomed by the head of the industry's consumer watchdog, although union leaders continued to attack the timing of the

recommended pay rise.

Peter Carr, who chairs Postwatch, said of Mr Roberts's statement: "This is a sensible decision from an eminently sensible man.

"There could be no justification for a 10 per cent increase to bosses when workers are offered only two per cent and are threatening national strikes."

Peter Skyte, national officer of the Amicus union, which represents 15,000 postal managers, said: "The timing of the original announcement, coming in the middle of sensitive pay negotiations, was crass. It was a further example of the need for Consignia to carefully think through its strategic vision for the future and to carry its workforce, public and Government, along with it."